"And then, after a time, I forgave you.

And later still, much later, I found out that you had never injured me--that I had nothing to forgive." He did not understand, and as he did not understand he explained volubly--for here he felt he was on sure ground--that, on the contrary, she had much to forgive, that he had acted like an infernal blackguard, that men were coarse brutes, not fit to kiss a good woman's shoe-latchet, etc., etc.

He identified his conduct with that of the whole sex, without alluding to it as that of the individual Tristram.

He made it clear that he did not claim to have behaved better than most men.
Rachel listened attentively.

"And I actually loved him," she said to herself.
"But the divine quality of woman is her power of forgiving.